Nirvana

[SoLaMaNdA]

I hope being Volvo 300 enthusiasts, especially the 360 drivers, you have all enjoyed the sheer beauty of the cars handling.

Every time I throw the car into a bend I know exactly what its going to do, so predictable. Throw it in fast, ah a bit of understeer, more throttle and all is settled. The apex is coming, floor it for a nice controlled slide out of the bend.

The car is not the best handling car by far, but probably the most consistent and balanced. I've never driven anything else I'm comfortable with sliding into bends at over 60. Don't you just love these cars!

[huskyracer]

I do love these cars, But you are obviously a driving god The other day I went to the Ace Cafe (air cooled vw meet), on The way home we stopped at maccy d's just off the a40, In a moment of madness as we came out I unleashed the full power of the b14 round a damp right hander back onto the sliproad, for a few seconds a very slightly impressive 1st gear power slide was held, but upon shifting into second the sudden rush of power to the back wheels caused a vicious tank slapper, causing me to end up facing back up the slip road looking at the oncoming traffic . There is however, a small possibilty that this incident was caused by me completely running out of tallent at about 6 mph maybe you can give us some lessons in opposite lock driving

[5lab]

the secret is NOT to keep your foot down, you NEED to back off as you apply lock.

[SoLaMaNdA]

huskyracer, its not that hard. Best place to learn is go karting, great fun. Went karting yesterday in Milton Keynes and one mate, (the track champion), makes any driver seem snail like! The trick is to not literally floor it otherwise the car will slide out of control.

Best way to learn the limits of your car is on a large, wide and clear roundabout. Drive around it with light throttle faster and faster till you can feel the front to start sliding. Now try it again quickly, (with no understeer), but rapidly increase throttle as you exit the roundabout. Try more throttle as you learn, build up slowly. If you feel the back end out of control slowly ease of the throttle and carefully apply abit of smooth opposite lock. Reacting too sharply causes the car to spin

I'm a keen mountain biker so used to riding on the limits of grip, takes a long time to get used to sliding while in control. I still get scared sliding about in the wet

[huskyracer]

Cheers for the tips, b14 hasn't realy got enough power for this sort of thing, You have to be very close to the cars cornering limit to get it to slide. It hasn't got enough grunt to break traction otherwise!!! so its all a bit sudden when it does let go!!! The montain biking looks like a good adrenaline hit, I race motocross my self, (husqvarna tc 610 hence the huskyracer tag) so I get to slide about loads on the dirt as well but you and 5lab are right, I tend to be a bit ham fisted and usualy do just mash foot to carpet, or worse lift off completely I like to think im a bit tasty on the bike, but I openly admit im no match for someone in a well driven trabant on the road, Will keep trying though

[SoLaMaNdA]

One trick I've only ever tried on snow/ice is pressing the clutch lightly while cornering fast, let the revs build and then dump! Not one for the faint hearted while going at speed in the dry

Most of my mountain biking is done clad in motorbike style body armour and thowing myself down mountains or over jumps. Playing about in cars seems pretty safe to me

[jtbo]

Hmm, my car will understeer on tarmac if I don't transfer weight to front first, maybe I should just brake later. But there is this 'not too good front brakes'-syndrome what causes front wheel bearings to go in better place...

Perhaps I can go today out with vid cam, there is bright day now

[SoLaMaNdA]

I find mine understeers if I turn too late/hard without much throttle. The trick is turn smoother and stamp on the right pedal in a low gear

[SteveP]

yuck, I hate understeer.. mine does that too, but the front tyres aren't as good as the ones on the back, so thats a good reason.. Solomanda, seems like you've got alot of experience with tail out oversteer!

[jtbo]

I got the video, but that shit of premiere crashed during editing, must try again when I feel better. Still little sick.

[SoLaMaNdA]

SteveP, I've never managed to do a proper full on side all the way through a bend at high speed, in top gear style. I'm fairly confident getting the back end to step out of line abit but I save proper sliding for ice/snow covered car parks. Try abit more pressure in the rear tyres to even things out.

[huskyracer]

You should join the uk drift club, How cool would that be in a 300!!!

[SoLaMaNdA]

hehe, wish I could drift properly Cheap rear tyres too

[Grendel]

Sadly I find my 340 1.4 well to planted to be very good at sliding (but I do still try). Unlike my previous car which preferred going around corners sideways (1978 Triumph Spitfire with cheap tyres) at the nearest sniff of rain.

[SteveP]

Really? I've heard that the 1.4s are more 'oversteery' due to the lack of weight at the front of the car in comparison with the 360s. Roundabouts are always the good test, I've been driving round some today in the dry and it'll pull some nice squealies in 2nd!

The 1.4 will go sideways in wet weather most definitely